, 1887-04-03
The Commission at Work.

work at IL o'clock this morning. At that
time Ex-Governor Rufus B. Bullock. at
the head OF a committee appointed by the
Atlanta chamber of commerce to GO op-
crate with the Southern Railway and
Steamship Association in seeking such
liberal Interpretation of the interstate
commerce act as may be deemed necessary
for the protection of manufacturing and
commercial interests of this and other
southern societies" were granted a hear
ing. Governor Bullock, speaking for his
associates and himself, thanked the COM
mission for the opportunity afforded and
read the following paper:
To the Honorable, The Interstate Com
merce mmission:-GENTLEMEN-We
the undersigned, a committee appointed
by the Atlanta chamber of commerce for
that purpose. respectfully represent to
your honorable body that the territory
covered BY the Southern Railway and
Steamship Association is comparatively
sparsely populated, and that the trade
centers or distributive cities within that
territory are widely separated, and there
fore that a rule which would apply to
lines in more populous sections of the
country would be disastrous to us. The
rates Of freight now in force by said asso-
citation, which is the territory south of
the Potomac and east of the Mississippi
rivers, are the results of ten years Of ex-
pertinent, modified by the orders of rail-
road commissions in the several states,
and by appeals from commercial bodies
like our own, representing the interests of
shippers. Your petitioners further rep
resent that the rates now in force as en-
bodied in the tariff of the Southern
Railway and Steamship Association are
acceptable to our shippers generally, and
under them trade has been established,
contracts for purchase and sale of com
modities have been entered into, and a
sudden change would prove seriously
hurtful to the parties in interest. We are
informed by the railway management
that under the fear of penalties provided
by the interstate m law, their
roads will be compelled to largely increase
their rates on the 9Th inst. This will de-
stroy the whole system of rates upon
which our Southern manufacturing indus
tries have been founded, and disorganize
and p~aralyze the trade centers upon and
through which wholesale dealers have es.
tablished their extended business. We
therefore respectfully petition your honor
able body to pass an order on or before
the 5th day of April instant to the effect
that the schedule of rates in the territory
south of the Potomac and east of the
Mississippi rivers, so far as their rates
relate to interstate be declared
of force until the further order of your
Honorable commission, and that reason
able time will be given for further hearing
and revision before any changes are put
in force.
We submit herewith the schedule of
rates Of the Sou hern Railway and Steam
ship Association to which we have re-
ferred. We also invite your attention to
the accompanying comparative statement
which we have prepared, by which is
shown the great increase which will occur
in rates to principal points if railways put
in force the rates they now understand
the law will require. The showing made
may be judged by the fact that rates from
New York will be increased.
The chairman ofthe commission Judge
Cooley remarked interrogatively that he
understood the application which had
been made by railroad companies was for
permission to charge less for long than
for short hauls. Governor Bullock replied
afirmatively. At present, queried the
chairman, railroads are charging less for
longer than for shorter distance. Govern
or Bullock said this was the case where
1t was necessary to meet circumstances of
water transportation. The chairman
asked the opinion of the committee with
respect to the authority of the commits
sion to make the order asked OF them.
Governor Bullock replied that as they
read the provisions of the fourth section
they understood the commission had au-
thority. Railroads, he added, had in
formed them that unless they made their
rates at once they would be liable to pen
alties under the law. Contracts had been
made with merchants for delivery three
months hence. based upon rates which
prevailed at the time. Now to suddenly
raise rates would prove disastrous. A
brief colloquy, during which in reply to
queries by Col. Walker and Mr.. Nor
rison, the position of the committee in re-
spect to some details was elaborated, end
ed the hearing.
The whole proceeding was an informal
ity, hearing being granted at this time az
a favor to gentlemen who had come from
a distance to present their case. No for
NAL consideration of this question will be
undertaken before the 9th inst, on which
date the law goes into effect.
A Cowardly Intrigue.
LONDON, April 2.-Thc Times pub.
! lishaa a dasnatcb from Soto wh;cb eo,,s